Notice of Proposed SIP Revision: Maintenance of the PM2.5 NAAQS

NJ DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AIR QUALITY, ENERGY, AND MATERIAL SUSTAINABILITY

DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY

Notice of Proposed State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision:

Maintenance of the Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) NAAQS

Take notice that the State of New Jersey is proposing a revision to its State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Maintenance of the 2006 Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) pursuant to Section 175A of the Clean Air Act (CAA).  This SIP revision is the second PM2.5 maintenance plan for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 standard of 35 µg/m³ for both of New Jersey’s multi-state areas (the Northern New Jersey, New York and Connecticut area, and the Southern New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware area) in accordance with the requirements of CAA Section 175A.  This SIP revision demonstrates New Jersey’s continued compliance with the 2006 PM2.5 24-hour 35 µg/m³ NAAQS.  The maintenance plan is a limited maintenance plan (LMP) for PM2.5 for both of New Jersey’s multi-state maintenance areas.  The maintenance plan proposal is being submitted as an LMP because the PM2.5 air quality levels at ambient monitoring sites throughout New Jersey’s multi-state areas are well below the NAAQS. This proposed LMP SIP revision includes:  emission inventories, a maintenance demonstration, a control measures summary, monitoring data summary and verification of continued attainment, and a contingency plan.  In this proposed SIP revision, New Jersey is demonstrating that it has continued to attain the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS to protect its citizens’ health due to permanent and enforceable measures that the State and Federal Government adopted or implemented.

A copy of the Department’s proposed SIP revision is available on the Department’s website at NJDEP| Air Planning | State Implementation Plan (SIP) Dashboard.

A public hearing concerning the Department’s proposed SIP revision will be conducted only if requested in writing by January 25, 2023.  If no request for a public hearing is received, the hearing will be cancelled by a notice posted on the Department’s website at  NJDEP| Air Planning | Air Quality Evaluation and Planning.  If a public hearing is requested, it will be held virtually on February 14, 2023 at 10:00am.  If you are interested in joining the virtual public hearing, please email the Department at NJDEP-BAQP@dep.nj.gov with your contact information (name, telephone number, and email address) and whether you intend to provide oral testimony or not. The Department will send you a link to a Microsoft Teams meeting, with a separate option for a telephone call-in line (for those without access to a computer that can connect to Microsoft Teams) and hearing guidelines.  The link to the public hearing, telephone call-in number and hearing guidelines will also be posted on the Department’s website at:  NJDEP| Air Planning | State Implementation Plan (SIP) Dashboard.  Note that this virtual public hearing will be recorded.

Written comments may be submitted by close of business, February 17, 2023.  Please email comment(s) as a document attachment to: NJDEP-BAQP@dep.nj.gov and include “PM2.5 Maintenance Plan 2023-1” in the subject line of the e-mail.

If you have any questions about this notice, you can email your questions to NJDEP-BAQP@dep.nj.gov or call the Bureau of Evaluation and Planning at (609) 292-6722.